This is the book that made Murakami famous, despite the fact that it is most unlike the rest of his fiction.
A typical Murakami novel takes you on a mysterious journey into strange worlds, but this story is decidedly set in our world, and is a story that really could have happened to any of us. Once I got used to this – I loved Norwegian Wood.
A snatch of sound – The Beatles’ Norwegian Wood – takes Toru back years and years to a pondering of his first loves. Naoko and Toru are drawn together by tragedy – and are drawn apart by circumstance. Despite Toru’s promises to remain true, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the outgoing Midori – a girl who is everything that Naoko is not.
The absolute luck of being in love – no matter the circumstances – ends up being the final message in this moving and rather beautiful novel. I found it compelling, real and very fulfilling. I like the use of music of the era to add depth to the narrator’s remembering.
Kafka on the Shore remains my favourite, although this novel has found its own place in my heart for very different reasons. Defintely my number 2 Murakami! A “must read” in my opinion.
Welloflostplots 